Chapter 42 Training sessions
CHAPTER 42
Training sessions
Ruby followed Chef Adrian through the double doors that led into the training kitchen. The moment she stepped inside, her senses came alive. The room was large and bright, filled with stainless steel workstations arranged in neat rows. Shiny pots and pans hung from racks above the counters, and shelves were lined with jars of spices, oils, and dried herbs. The air carried a mixture of scents fresh basil, garlic, warm butter, and something sweet baking in one of the ovens nearby.
For a moment, Ruby simply stood there, taking everything in.
This was real. Students moved around the kitchen, some already tying their white aprons, others chatting nervously as they arranged their tools. The soft clatter of knives and chopping boards echoed throughout the room.
Chef Adrian clapped his hands once, drawing everyone’s attention.
“Alright, everyone. Welcome to your first practical session,” he announced warmly.
“Before we begin, I want you to relax. No one expects perfection today. What we expect is effort, focus, and respect for the kitchen.”
Ruby felt a small wave of relief wash over her.
He continued, “Cooking is not just about food. It’s about patience, precision, and passion. If you don’t bring those three things with you, the kitchen will humble you very quickly.”
A few students chuckled nervously.
Chef Adrian began guiding everyone to their stations. Ruby found herself at a counter near the middle of the room. She carefully placed her bag down and removed the knife kit Leo had given her.
When she opened it, the polished blades gleamed under the kitchen lights.
“Whoa.”
Ruby turned to see a girl standing at the station beside hers, staring at the knives with wide eyes.
“That’s a serious knife set,” the girl said.
Ruby smiled shyly. “It was a gift.”
The girl grinned and extended her hand.
“I’m Jane.”
Ruby shook it. “Ruby.”
Jane looked to be around the same age as her, with bright brown eyes and curly dark hair tied into a messy bun. She had an energetic presence that made her seem instantly friendly.
“First day nerves?” Jane asked.
Ruby laughed softly. “Very obvious?”
“Only a little,” Jane teased. “Don’t worry, everyone here is nervous. Even the ones pretending they’re not.”
Ruby relaxed a little.
“I’ve always loved cooking,” Ruby said. “But I’ve never trained professionally before.”
Jane nodded enthusiastically. “Same here. I grew up helping my grandmother run her small café. She’s basically the reason I’m here.”
“That sounds nice,” Ruby said warmly.
Jane leaned closer, lowering her voice conspiratorially. “Between you and me, though, my knife skills are terrible.”
Ruby giggled.
“Mine might be worse.”
At that moment, Chef Adrian approached their row.
“Alright,” he said, placing a large wooden board at the front station. “Today we start with something simple but essential: knife techniques.”
He picked up a chef’s knife.
“Every great chef begins here. If you can’t control your knife, you can’t control your cooking.”
The class grew quiet as he demonstrated how to hold the knife properly, positioning his fingers carefully along the blade.
“This grip gives you control and balance,” he explained.
Ruby watched closely, copying his movements with her own knife. It felt slightly heavier than she expected, but solid and balanced in her hand.
“Now,” Chef Adrian continued, placing a pile of onions on the board, “we practice slicing.”
He showed them how to cut smoothly and evenly, each slice falling neatly to the side.
“Consistency is key,” he said. “Your ingredients should cook evenly. That means your cuts must be even.”
Soon, every student had a pile of onions in front of them.
Ruby took a breath and began.
Her first slice was careful, slow, and slightly uneven.
Jane glanced over.
“Hey, that’s actually not bad,” she whispered.
Ruby smiled. “It’s only the first slice.”
Jane lifted her own onion and began cutting. Her first piece came out thicker than expected.
“Okay,” Jane said dramatically. “We’re off to a great start.”
Ruby tried not to laugh as she continued slicing.
Soon, the familiar sting of onion filled the air. Several students sniffled and wiped their eyes.
Jane groaned. “I forgot about this part.”
Ruby blinked rapidly as tears formed in her eyes.
“This is harder than it looks.”
Chef Adrian walked between the stations, observing their progress. When he reached Ruby’s counter, he paused.
“Good posture,” he said approvingly. “But relax your wrist slightly.”
He gently adjusted her grip.
“Let the knife glide instead of forcing it.”
Ruby followed his instruction and tried again.
This time, the slice came out cleaner.
“Better,” he said with a nod before moving on.
Ruby felt a small spark of pride.
Jane leaned over and whispered, “Teacher’s favorite already.”
Ruby shook her head quickly. “No way.”
As the morning continued, they practiced different cuts—julienne, dice, and chiffonade. Some attempts were messy, others surprisingly neat.
Jane turned out to be both hilarious and encouraging. At one point she held up a misshapened carrot slice.
“What is this supposed to be?” she asked dramatically. “Abstract art?”
Ruby laughed so hard she nearly dropped her knife.
Chef Adrian glanced over with a raised eyebrow.
“Something funny?”
Jane immediately straightened.
“No, chef!”
The class moved on to preparing a simple vegetable soup. Each student contributed chopped ingredients to their station’s pot.
Ruby stirred the pot slowly, inhaling the comforting aroma as the vegetables simmered.
“This already smells amazing,” Jane said.
Ruby nodded. “I didn’t expect it to feel this… peaceful.”
Jane looked at her curiously. “Peaceful?”
Ruby smiled softly. “Yeah. Like everything else disappears when you’re focused on cooking.”
Jane pointed her spoon at her.
“That’s exactly how my grandmother describes it.”
When the soup was finally ready, Chef Adrian had everyone taste their creations.
Ruby lifted the spoon carefully and blew on it before taking a sip. Warmth spread across her tongue—the sweetness of carrots, the earthiness of celery, the gentle saltiness of broth.
Her eyes widened slightly. “I made this,” she whispered.
Jane tasted hers too and grinned. “Okay, that’s actually really good.”
The class ended with Chef Adrian giving final instructions.
“Practice your knife skills tonight,” he said. “Tomorrow we begin sauces.”
Students began cleaning their stations.
Jane wiped her counter and turned to Ruby.
“So… first day verdict?”
Ruby smiled brightly. “I love it.”
Jane pumped her fist in the air.
“Yes! I was hoping you’d say that. I need a kitchen partner who won’t panic with me.”
Ruby laughed. “I think we’ll survive together.”
As they gathered their things, Ruby remembered Leo’s words.
Call me when you finish. She pulled out her phone and glanced at Jane.
“Looks like I have someone waiting for my first-day report.”
Jane smirked. “Boyfriend?”
Ruby hesitated, unsure how to define Leo.
“…Something like that.”
Jane grinned knowingly.
“Well, tell him his chef-in-training survived day one.”